Guitar attachment



Feb. 16, 1965 R. E. J. DE LA RONDE ETAL 3,169,437

GUITAR ATTACHMENT Filed July 15, 1963 l/ l l I l I I l I l I I I I I tThe device collectively designated United States Patent O 3,169,437oUirAn ATTACHMENT Roy E. d. De La Ronde, 31 Rose Ave., and Garnet 0.

de Lucia, 153 Furby St., both of Winnipeg, lvianitoha,`

Canada v Filed `luly 1S, 1963, Ser. No. 294,926 j v Claims priority,application -)reat Britain, duly 16, 1962,

j ze s claims. ici. s4-zs7) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements to attachments for guitars and has as its principal aim andobject a means whereby a rhythm slap is obtained during the normalplaying of the guitar by means of a pick.

Another object of this invention is to provide adevicev of the characterherewithin described which can be utilized as a rhythm accompaniment,such rhythm normally lUl being applied by a player using brushes on asnare drum.

A yet further object of this invention is to'provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is eas' FIGURE 2 is a Viewsubstanti illy along the lines'LZ---Z` of FIGURE l. 'l Y FIGURE 3 is aside elevation ofV the device.

ln thedrawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsinthe different figures.

Proceeding therefore tordescribe` this invention in dei tail, referencecharacter l@ represents thetront surface A.of a guitar to one side ofthe strings (inthe pick' guard area), one string Vll beingy shown.

12 is preferably made ot plastic and comprises a base'llS, sides 14, anda topplate l-S making a substantially rectangular, hollow enclosure.

Situated within the enclosure and secured by the end 16 thereof to thebase 13 by adhesive or the like, is an'elon-r gated flexible plasticstrip 17, the end 18 of which extends through the open side 19 of theenclosure. and then'extends upwardly as shown at 2t). It will be notedthat the end 16.

` The resiliency of they strip 17 normally maintains itin theuppermostposition but the actual position of the tip Zlkwithrelation tothe string 1l can be adjusted' within limits byl means' of the adjustor22; This adjusto'r 22 is mounted for par-tial rotation upon a pivot pin23 and is substantially circular, in construction when viewed in plan. vHowever, an off-standing portion 24 engages the upper surface of ythestrip 17 so thatby rotating the portion 24 in the direction'ofithedouble headedarrow-ZS, the posik strip is clear of the ybase 13 apart`from the attachingY tion of the tipZl is adjusted. Theportion"2;6`iofthe adi y li? Patented Feb. 16, 1965 VICC justory 22 extending beyondthe casing, provides for manipulation to rotate the portion 2d ashereinbefore described. A tension spring 27 surrounds the pivot pin 23and lmaintains the adjuster 22 in the uppermost position as clearlyshown in FIGURE 3. A stop 28 extends upwardly from the strip 17 adjacentthe end 16 and limits s the rotation'of the adjustor in this direction.

In operation, the device is adhesively secured by the base i3 to theupper surface of the guitar lil so that the tipx 21 is approximately1/16 of an inch away from the string lll, which string incidentally isthe E or first string.

As the guitar is played in open chords, the pick automatically strikesthe tip 21 after passing over the strings,

moving the strip i7 downwardly witha slapping action against the base 13which in turn is transferred to the sound box of the guitar. Y The'soundis identical to a man playing brushes on a snare drum and is, ofparticularadvantage to singers who accompany themselves with open chordson a guitar. The

device'can be used for various types Vof picking, such asy IohnnyCash,Doc Williams 'and Carter Family styleetc. Whether playing fox trots,waltzes, rock and roll tempo etc. the device automatically adjustsitself to the tempo providing the hand movement is constantly steady.

. The'adjustor22 increases or decreases the volume of the rhythmic'soundwhich is particularly' useful when n doing radioand TV broadcasts.

Since various modiiications kcan be made in our invention as hereinabovedescribed, and many apparentlyV i widely dierent embodiments of samemade within .the spiritand scope of the claims without departing from.V

such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained'in theaccompanying specification shall be inter-k pretedr as illustrative onlyand not in a limiting sense.

What we claim as our invention is: 1.'.An attachment for guitars adaptedto be secured to `the pick guard area of the front surface ofthey guitaradjacent the strings thereof; said vattachment comprising in combinationa hollow enclosure, and a ilexible stripk se-V c ured by one endwithinsaid enclosure, the Vother end of said strip extending through anapertured side of said euclosure adjacentthey strings of said guitar, anupturned pick engagingportionfformed on said other end, and pos"- tionedwith respect to said strings so'that the conventional i pick strikesthesaid other end of said strip after said *pick` @has passedoversaidstrings f f2. Thek device `according to claim 1 which includesrmeans within said enclosure to adjustV the limits of move-- *ment ofsaid strip.

3L The device according to claim 2 in which said means includes anadjuster pivotally mounted for partial rotation within said casing, aportion'ofsaid Yadjustorextendi'ngk beyond said'casing, `an ott-standingportion extending from said adjustorand contacting the upper surface ofsaid strip.V

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES lATENTS186,169 Rofwbotham;; s -Jan. 9, 1877Y 398,176 -oeriein Feb. 19, `1889

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR GUITARS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE PICK GUARDAREA OF THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE GUITAR ADJACENT THE STRIKING THEREOF;SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOLLOW ENCLOSURE, AND AFLEXIBLE STRIP SECURED BY ONE END WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, THE OTHER ENDOF SAID STRIP EXTENDING THROUGH AN APERTURED SIDE OF SAID ENCLOSUREADJACENT THE STRINGS OF SAID GUITAR, AN UPTURNED PICK ENGAGING PORTIONFORMED ON SAID OTHER END, AND POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID STRINGS SOTHAT THE CONVENTIONAL PICK STRIKES THE SAID OTHER END OF SAID STRIPAFTER SAID PICK HAS PASSED OVER SAID STRINGS.